done his best to bow down and die for the country

[GoodTaste]

We know that this prime minister has done his best to bow down and die for the country and the people.

Source: It is a translation from Chinese by Microsoft Bing Translator. The original Chinese is beautiful (hidden below and will show if you wipe it out with your mouse).

我们知道这位总理殚精竭虑，鞠躬尽瘁，一身正气，两袖清风，为国为民，死而后已。

I wonder whether "bow down" is used properly in English. The Chinese phrase for it means be loyal and devoted to the last.

 

[5jj]

我们知道这位总理殚精竭虑，鞠躬尽瘁，一身正气，两袖清风，为国为民，死而后已。

It's difficult for those of us with no knowledge of Chinese to comment. The Google Translate version of your Chinese words is :

We know that this Prime Minister has exhausted his energy, dedicated himself to the best of his ability, is upright, has clean sleeves, and serves the country and the people.

 

[emsr2d2]

Clean sleeves?! Oh yes. That's what I look for in a PM!

 

[5jj]

Clean sleeves was my delight,
Clean sleeves my heart of gold
Clean sleeves was my heart of joy
And who but my Lady Clean sleeves

 

[Skrej]

Clean sleeves?! Oh yes. That's what I look for in a PM!

I was more focused on him being upright. Politicians are rarely up to any good when they're horizontal.

 

[Skrej]

It definitely looses something in both the Bing and Google translations, although the Bing version isn't quite as odd as the Google version.

I suspect there's some idiomatic language involved in the original Chinese that isn't translated well, which is typical of computer translation. Computers translate literally, not idiomatically.

It sounds like the Chinese version is supposed to be an endearing endorsement of his service to the country, but the Bing version sounds likes like he was simply determined to die for the country, either by assassination or suicide. The Google version sounds like he's a tired old man who tried and failed, but all he managed to accomplish was stand up and wash his clothes.

I imagine neither is remotely close to the sentiment expressed in Chinese.

The Google bit about clean sleeves makes me consider the English idiom "to roll up one's sleeves", meaning to prepare for hard work.

People often roll up long sleeves before starting work, both to keep the cuffs clean, and to keep them out of the way.

That concept would at least potentially make a bit more sense in the apparent context of the original Chinese tribute.

 

[GoodTaste]

Explanation for "clean sleeves (两袖清风）“:
It is often used as a metaphor for being a very incorruptible official, and there is nothing but the breeze in the sleeve. (Bing Translate)
In acient China, corrupt official often hid the bribe (like gold or silver ingots) in their sleeves which were usually very large in size.

@tedmc

 

[Tarheel]

Explanation for "clean sleeves (两袖清风）“:
It is often used as a metaphor for being a very incorruptible official, and there is nothing but the breeze in the sleeve. (Bing Translate)
In acient China, corrupt officials often hid the bribe (like gold or silver ingots) in their sleeves which were usually very large in size.

@tedmc

Since you could, apparently, do quite well by accepting bribes, it must have been hard to resist the temptation to do so.